The prototype on this post doesn't represent the final mechanics/dynaimcs of the game. I'm taking it to a new direction.

AbstractCJR is (will be?) a hardcore sidescroller platformer filled with life-threatening obstacles and hordes of enemies to annihilate and lots of gore. The story for now is straightforward, about a colonel surviving an alien strike who infiltrates the mother ship to destroy it and save the earth.

The gameplay will try to be half Metroidvania half Metal Slug, eventually aims to have procedurally generated levels.Also frenetic but not humilliating: With hardcore perfect-timing situations but with infinite lives and a lot of checkpoints (in easy mode at least).

This alpha version has just one level, a duct-taped boss, weapon power ups, a bit of hollow backtracking with key-cards/doors and a combo-bonus when you fill the HUD's syringe.

BackgroundI started from scratch around the end of november give or take for an Argentinian competition "CODEAR" and won the first place. The theme was "Hardcore: Difficult but fun to play".I messed around with some pixels and the main character was born. From there I kept prototyping some graphics. I had an abstract idea of the gameplay I wanted and have experience with platformers so I just let the grpahics lead the way.

It doesn't have HUGE aspirations but I'd like to complete this one.

I'm using Flixel as framework because I know it well, feels confortable and has a lot of boilerplate problems solved.Also I've used Audacity to modify some open licensed sounds taken from freesound.org and GraphicsGale for the pixel art.

Default controls (can be configured)

X

Jump

C

Shoot

Arrows

Aim and move

Shift+M

Change screen mode

Any feedback is well appreciated, although take into account that it's a prototype and nothing here is final.Hope you like it. Cheers!

Looks great and I love the way the gore drips down everywhere. I found the platforming to feel fiddly rather than fun, though - a lot of the challenge comes from just how cramped the level design generally is and the enemies, while interesting-looking, never present much of a threat. I think with some rebalancing this could be really great though - I would suggest you make it more combat focussed and tone down the piston-dodging platforming that we've all done before in a hundred other games.

Ok, I've been working on this game. I'm making it more of a metroidvania with some updates, and also a weapon customization menu (for which I've been given help and opinions about design on this and another forum).

Bottom line, the current menu implementation is shit. Too hard and awkward to use but helped me (and some testers) figure out the caveats.

I felt like the audio adds a lot to this. If it had typical "catchy" BGM, it'd be cartoonish, almost comical, like one of those exaggerated 90s shareware games about action heroes. With all the metallic screeches and alien noises, it has a kind of disturbing atmosphere.